


Not All Changes Are Bad

by stellacanta



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - His Dark Materials Fusion, M/M, Zine: Parallel Love - Gladnis AU Zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:02:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25255084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellacanta/pseuds/stellacanta
Summary: Gladio’s familiaris was different. No one knew how to react, except Ignis.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Not All Changes Are Bad

**Author's Note:**

> A bit late to the party, but here's my piece for the Parallel Love zine.   
> I hope everyone enjoys it :)

It was quiet in the sitting room of his family estate. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked away the seconds as dustmites danced in the sunlight that shone through large, floor to ceiling, windows. Gladio sat on the antique couch with his fingers tightly entwined. In the corner of the room, his familiaris, Karenina, twitched every so often to the noise of the clock.

Tick, her ears wiggled a bit. Tock, she wiggled her nose.

He grinned ruefully at the sight. The smile dropped when he looked towards the clock and noticed the time. It was four now, three hours since his father last spoke to him. His last words to him had been a simple ‘oh’, before he excused himself from the room. Gladio looked towards his hands and tried not to fidget. 

Iris had tried to comfort him, but she didn’t know the words to do so, and Gladio didn’t know how to explain the significance of the situation to her.

He breathed out shakily. The shields of his family had always had strong familiarises. Either predators like his father’s jackal familiaris, or large beasts like stags and bears. Gladio had even joked that maybe Karenina would take the form of a behemoth. She had just snorted and said they would have to rearrange the estate if she did. Gladio had laughed then and said that the old place could use some redecorating.

No one was joking about redecorating the place to suit her now.

Gladio glanced towards Karenina who was now on her hindlegs sniffing at some dusty books on the lowest shelf of one of the bookcases lining the walls. 

A rabbit. Of all the forms that she could have taken, she had settled in the form of a cottontail rabbit. Not a big, ferocious predator, or something that could shield a future king from attacks, no, the familiaris of the future shield was a rabbit.

He huffed angrily and covered his eyes with one hand. Gladio had known that she wouldn’t take the form of something people would suspect but-

( _“What’s wrong with Kara being a rabbit,” Iris had asked him out of ignorance. “Rabbits are cute.”_

_ “Because the familiaris of the future shield can’t be a rabbit, Iris,” he had explained to her as calmly as he could manage. _

_“Oh.” She had bounced her legs against the edge of the seat. “I mean maybe she’ll change again? Besides, a rabbit doesn’t suit you Gladdy.”_ )

Her words echoed in his head, haunting him. A rabbit didn’t suit him. A rabbit wasn’t right for a person in his position. But a rabbit felt right to Karenina and he knew there would be no other form for her. 

(“ _Are you ashamed of me,” Karenina had asked him once Iris had left, called away for an outing with friends._

_ “I’m not ashamed Kara,” he had responded weakly. “But a rabbit?” _

_“It feels right, Gladio.” She had looked away and hopped from his lap to the corner of the room then. “I’m not going to change into anything else anymore, so you and everyone else better get used to it.” Karenina was just as stubborn as he was, he mused to himself. And then- “What’s wrong with me being a rabbit? Why can’t they accept us?”_ )

He didn’t have an explanation then. He didn’t have one now.

The door to the room opened with a soft click and he looked towards the doorway in surprise, jerked out of his thoughts. He looked away, it was just Ignis who shut the door softly behind him and squeezed his hand when he sat down on the couch next to him. Castor, Ignis’ silkmoth familiaris, landed delicately on Karenina’s head a moment later. 

The sound of the clock was the only sound in the room.

“You heard the great news then,” Gladio finally managed to say. “Kara’s a rabbit.” He looked down at his lap in shame.

“And she’s a fine rabbit,” Ignis said without even a waver in his voice. “A fine familiaris for a fine shield to be.”

Gladio looked up towards the other man in surprise. Ignis was staring at him with a steely look in his eyes as if he were trying to convince him of his confidence in him by gaze alone. “You really think,” he asked, unable to keep the incredulity out of his voice. “‘Cause dad hasn’t spoken to me in  _ hours _ and even Iris has her doubts and-”

“ _ Gladio _ .” He shut up as Iggy’s eyes bored into him. “Whatever they said or are saying, they’re wrong.” Ignis placed a hand on his cheek and he shivered as the other teen leaned in closer to him. “I know you Gladio. You stood by a witch’s son in grade school when all the other kids made fun of him for his heritage-” Gladio opened his mouth to argue, but Ignis continued speaking. “When Castor and I made the decision to get separated, you squeezed my hands before the ritual and you hugged us both tightly afterwards when we were sobbing and just happy to be together again. I’ll never forget how Kara wrapped herself around Cass during the entire process just to make him feel warm and safe.”

Gladio could only stare as Ignis pressed their foreheads together and squeezed his eyes shut. “It doesn’t matter if Kara is a rabbit, Gladio. You are a fine man and Noctis is lucky to have you as his shield. And I won’t tolerate anyone who says otherwise.”

His heart thudded dully in his ears and he dropped his gaze to their hands, still entwined tightly together. “Ignis?”

Ignis pulled away from him to respond, “yes, Gladio?”

“Thank you.” He grinned weakly at the other teen and pulled him into a bear hug. 

It would be fine, he thought with a glance to Kara and Castor. Everything would be fine.


End file.
